Transmission line support



Nov. 22, 1932.

Filed Oct. 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet +M ATTQRNEYS Nov. 22, 1932. R. JENNER ET AL 1,888,534

TRANSMISSION LINE SUPPORT Filed 001:. 29, 1928 2 ShEGtS-Shfit 2 5a W V W J/ g' Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH L. JENNER, OF EAST ORANGE, AND FRED" E. CHESTER, OF WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO BLAW-KNOX COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY TRANSMISSION LINE SUPPORT Application filed October 29, 1928. Serial No. 315,719.

This invention relates to transmission line supports, and particularly to supporting structures for the insulators of high tension electric transmission lines.

Ordinarily, at each tower of a high tension line, each wire is supported by a single string of connected disc type insulators, but for spans of unusual length or excessive vertical loads, or where the line crosses railroads or other works where it is essential that there should be no insulator failures with their resultant dropping of the wire, it is customary to provide two or more strings of such insulators at each point of wire-support.

Heretofore the arrangements employed to yoke together the several strings of insulators and to support the same from the cross-arms of the towers have been commonly subject to several disadvantages or difficulties, among which may be mentioned the multiplication of brackets or other supporting elements, the undue lengthening of the supporting structure as between the wlre itself and the cross-arm of the tower, and the resultant necessity of increasing the length of cross-arms and the vertical distance between adjacent cross-arms in order to provide adequate clearance, between the wire itself and the tower and cross-arm structure, for the deflection and movements of the wire in actual service.

The primary purposes of our invention contemplate the overcoming of these difficulties, the simplification of insulator supports, the reduction of the cost and the number of parts required, the minimization of the length of the hanging structure from cross-arm to wire, and the consequent practical possibility of reducing the length of cross-arms and the vertical distance between them.

More particularly, we aim to provide a multi-string support which, while permitting the requisite swinging of the insulator string, per se, laterally of the tower to accommodate the swinging of the supported wire by crosswinds, is itself fixed as against such swinging but pivoted to swing in a plane extending longitudinally of the supported wire.

Specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of such a multi-string support which is directly connected at its bottom to a plurality of insulator strings, and directly pivoted at its top, in the manner above indi cated, to the cross-arm of the tower, and which is, therefore, within its own short compass, a supporting bracket, a yoke for a plurality of insulator strings, and an equalizer between such strings, and combines all the functions of those devices.

How these ends and advantages are attained, together with such others as are incident to the invention or will occur to those skilled in the art, will be evident from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a supporting device embodying the invention, illustrating its attachment to the associated insulators and tower crossarm;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same, with the insulator and cross-arm structures shown only in outline;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device, taken from the left of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic View of a transmission tower illustrating the practical application of the device thereto.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, it will be seen that we have illustrated, in association with a transmission tower cross-arm 2 and pair of insulator strings 3, 3, the supporting structure of our invention which, in the present embodiment, includes a pair of legs formed of bent strips 4, 4, connected adjacent their lower ends by a cross-member or throughbolt 5. Diagonal bracing members, here formed of commercial angle-bars 6, 6, connected at their lower ends to the same bolt, extend upwardly and toward each other to a bent strip 7 pivotally secured by the bolt 8 to an angle member 9 of the cross-arm or some other suitable part thereof. i

The members 4, 4 are perforated at 10, ad jacent their upper ends for pivotal or swinging mounting on the U-bolt 11 secured by nuts 12 at the outer end of cross-arm 2. Suitable nuts and cotters, 13 and 14, are also provided on the bolt 5. Holes 15 are provided at the lower ends of members 4, subjacent to bolt 5, for the passage of the securing bolts 16 of the directly carries the wire 18 (indicated in Figs. 2 and 4).

It will now be seen, particularlyfromFig; 4, which shows the tower structure 19 and cross-arms 2, that the total "length of the supportingstructure, from the point 2a at the tip of the cross-arm to the supported wire 18, is equivalent simply to the length of the insulator string?) and the short members a of the combined bracket, yoke and equalizer,

35 giving ample clearance at 18a between the Wire '18 and the subjacent arm 2, during swinging of the wire, with a relatively close vertical spacing of said arms. Similarly the clearance 186, between wire and tower, is increased for a given length of arm 2, by virtueo'f the fact that'thebracket-yokes are not free to swing inwardorlaterally toward the tower. Or, stated in another way, the length of the arm may be decreased, over standard practice, without decreasing said clearance.

Obviously,therefore, the whole arrangement, which is, in effect, a two part support, the upper section being pivoted for movement longitudinally of the line, and thelower K pivoted "for movement transversely thereof,

provides not only for reduction in the complicationand costof the supporting structure but for asu'bstantial reduction in size, quantity of materiahand cost, ofthe tower and cross-arm structure. Thedevice atthe same "time provides not only for the usual transverse or. lateral swinging of thev insulator strings, but, in addition, takes care of the longitudinal stretching'and pulling of the wires themselves, due to expansion, contraction, breaksin the wire, etc., and in case .of'a break in the line it permits free pivotal movement ofthe combined bracket and yoke longitudinally of the line in such "manner as to prevent the exertion of any torsional or twisting strains on the cross arm itself. That is, if a wirebreaksjat a tower, or intermediate two towers, the supporting device on thead- -jacent tower swings in the direction of the unbroken part of the line, pivoting directly at the point of attachment to. the arm (and thus relieving it of torsion), and equalizing the pull on the twoattached insulator strings thus minimizing the likelihood of their breaking under the strain).

What we claim is 1; A transmission line supporting structure .including, with a transmission tower and cross-arm, a combined supporting bracket and insulator yoke, triangulated and icrossvarm,

firstly in a plane substantially vertically parallelling the line, and triangulated secondly generally transverse the line, pivoted on said arm on an axis extending longitudinally of the arm, and a plurality of insulator strings, for carrying said line, pivoted on said bracket yoke, each at a lower point of triangulation which points are spaced apart long-i; tudinally of the line. Y

2. A transmission linesupporting structure including, with a transmission tower a combined supporting bracket and insulator yoke, triangulated firstlyin a-plane substantially vertically parallelling the line, and.triangulated secondly generally transverse the line, pivoted on said arm on an axis extending longitudinally of the arm, and a plurality of insulator strings, for carrying saidline, pivoted on said bracket yoke on axesat right angles to said first axis, each at alower point of triangulation which points are spaced apart longitudinally of the line. i

3. As a new article of manufacture, ayoke andequalizer for a plurality of transmission 4 line insulator strings having, at the top, means of pivotal attachment'to a superjacent support on an axis transverse the normal line direction and having, adjacent the bottom, means of pivotal attachment to such strings, the axes of'the latter pivot meansbe 'mg generally lengthwise of the line and substantially transverse'the axis of the first mentioned pivot means and spaced apart longi- :tudinally of the line.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a com ,bined supporting bracket, yoke and-equalizer,

for a plurality of insulator strings, having means of pivotal attachment to a tower cross-arm forswinging movement in a plane transverse a general longitudinal plane of such arm and means for restrain ng it against swinging in other planes, and a pair of sub- 'jacent pivot means for said strings with axes extending transverse the axis ofsaid means of pivotal attachment to provide swingin of thestrings inparallelplanes which extend in a direction in which the bracket is restrained as againstswinging.

5. As anew article of manufacture, a substantially triangular yoke and 'bracketdevice for a pair of insulators having means at the two lower corners'for pivotal attachment of said insulators, and means at the upper corner for pivotal attachment to a tower cross-arm, together with bracing means for the device positioned toprevent its swinging indany plane other than .the plane of its three s1 es.

6 'A wire supporting structure including a 'pair of insulator strings spaced apart lengthwise of the wire and extending substantially vertically downward, and a combined yoke the and bracket pivotallysupported from above for swinging only lengthwise ofthe wire on iao which said insulators are pivotally hung for swinging movement transverse the length of the wire 7 A wire supporting structure including a pair of insulator strings spaced apart lengthwise of the wire and extending substantially vertically downward, and a combined yoke and bracket on which said insulators are pivotally hung for swinging movement transverse the length of the wire, together with pivot meanson said yoke and bracket for attachment to a cross-arm, the axis of said pivot means being transverse the axis of said insulator pivots.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a triangulated yoke and bracket device for a plurality of insulator elements having means at each lower corner of triangulation for attachment of an insulator element, and means at an upper corner thereof for pivotal attachment to a tower cross-arm, together with bracing means for the device positioned to prevent its swinging in any plane other than one extending transverse said pivot means.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names.

RALPH L. JENNER. FRED E. CHESTER. 

